Individuals suffering from severe or chronic depression, whether genetically pre-disposed or triggered by a trauma, are desperate for an escape. Many have tried counseling, therapy and rounds of medications, yet suicidal ideation often lures them into thinking there’s only one way out.

In 2023, according to America’s Health Rankings the percentage of adults in Oklahoma who reported being told by a health professional that they have a depressive disorder was 26.9%, and it continues to increase.

Most people affected by depression have been depressed for at least four to five years before they get a chance to see a psychiatrist. By the time they make it to someone like me, it’s hard to determine how long it’ll be before they get better.

As a child psychiatrist working with adolescent youth with persistent depression earlier in my career, no matter how much medication my patients received with or without therapy, I saw them continue to struggle. Full recovery was uncommon. In fact, I was beginning to lose hope as patients became more resistant to treatment.

In 2007, I started reading about ketamine and its use in treatment-resistant depression. I was fascinated by the data and the prospect of getting patients to remission.

While ketamine was developed in the early 1960s, it wasn’t until the 1970s that physicians saw the potential for usage with its rapid-acting antidepressant effects.

In 2019, esketamine was approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression and/or suicide ideation. About this time, I started my own practice and rented an office on the same floor of an infusion clinic. As successful outcomes kept circulating about this new treatment modality, hope reignited in me.

In March 2023, I was excited and hopeful as I helped to open GRAND Mental Health’s ketamine treatment clinic, the first of its kind in the state geared toward serving the indigent population. Since opening, we’ve treated more than 90 adult patients from across eastern Oklahoma and are financially covering all treatments for each patient.

For many who are unfamiliar with this treatment, the psychedelic experience ketamine produces may sound scary. But, in fact, it’s giving people the power to reclaim control of their lives.

We have had several examples of that, but here is one.

One patient came to us using a wheelchair. She was severely depressed and had many neuropsychiatric issues, including severe depression and anxiety associated with thoughts of suicide. We started treatment and gradually started noticing her mood improving and her being more hopeful about the future.

Though she had multiple medical ailments, she felt good enough and inspired to fight back and get her life back on track. As her energy and self-confidence returned, she became more motivated to engage in activities that she enjoyed and activities of daily living.

With assistance, she was eventually able to take a few steps without her wheelchair. As her mood continued to improve, she began walking and winning story telling competitions across the state.

During the treatment, patients are given a glimpse of what is happening inside of their minds. Once a memory is triggered, patients can mentally revisit past episodes of suppressed joy or trauma. Both experiences are valuable because patients can psychologically redirect their memories and lived experiences through levels of heightened awareness.

Most of our patients are young — in their 30s and 40s — and are ready for a complete transformation so they can achieve wholeness, peace and joy. They still have so much life in them, and ketamine is their solution to longevity and the quality of care we all deserve.

Assessments conducted pre-and post– treatment showed patients reporting a noticeable alleviation in depressive symptoms with the medication. In some cases, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, a standardized depression assessment, showed scores dropped from 16 to 10 for females, and 16 to 11 for males.

While I’m optimistic about our ability to turn lives around, we need more people to know about us. We need to educate insurance providers and the Oklahoma State Department of Health to join us in this movement to save lives, reduce hospitalizations and reduce the stigma about mental health and depression. Too many lives are hanging in the balance.

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